What if What We See is Only a Fraction of What is Real?

A fragment of a flower captured in a photograph.

I only see a bit – a portion of the center, a few flaming petals flash color bright.

It reminds me of what’s been on my mind lately.

“What if what we see is only a fraction of what is real? And what if the unseen is even more real than what is seen?”

I believe it’s true, it’s just that sometimes, I tend to focus on what I see, forgetting that there is so much more to what the Lord is doing, and much of it is not visible.

I’m a big picture kind of girl – or at least I try to be.   I appreciate the details, but I also like to stand back and gaze across the landscape. 

I find comfort in seeing the big picture.

Problem is, most times I don’t see it -- I only see a small section, if even that – and I forget that there is a more -- a whole picture, a perfectly designed picture, a meaningful picture.

Therefore, I repeatedly remind myself, we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

So much of what we believe and what we do is by faith. 

We run this race by faith.

We serve by faith.

We forgive by faith.

We let go of wanting things our own way by faith.

We allow the Lord to use our story by faith.

We parent by faith.

We love others by faith.

For now, we see what we see (and not even clearly), only a fragment.  God gives us a glimpse of what is real -- and we trust Him for the rest, finding comfort not in what we see, but in Him.

Someday, when we are face to face with the One Who Sees All -- the One Who Planned All -- then we’ll understand. 

I think we'll be sweetly surprised at what we see then – all the missing pieces found, all the broken pieces mended, all the tears dried, all our hearts healed. 

For now, we walk by faith and not by sight – we see in part, but someday we'll see the whole – and what a glorious day it will be.

How about you? Do you find yourself wondering what God is up to?  Do you hold on to hope that there is more to the picture than what you see?